Top 10 RPGs for Genre Newcomers

7. Final Fantasy X

Even non-RPG fans have heard of the Final Fantasy series. More or less one of the forefathers of the genre as we know it today, the Final Fantasy series currently has fourteen main entries (with a fifteenth on the way), and at least triple that amount of spinoffs and titles inspired by the behemoth series' lore and world. So, it almost goes without saying that anyone looking to get into RPGs should give a Final Fantasy title a try, but the question is… which one?

Thankfully, there is no reason to play the titles in order: Other than a scant few titles that are direct sequels to mainline games (that usually make themselves known by adding a '2' at the end of their Roman numerical… which is admittedly really weird), RPG newbies can skip the poorly aged entries and go right into some of the more modern, more user friendly titles.

Because of this, the best Final Fantasy for new RPG gamers to pick up may very well be Final Fantasy X. This PS2 may look a bit convoluted on the surface, but it's actually pretty easy to pick up and get the hang of… and when you do, you're likely to find an interesting and engaging plot waiting for you.

Final Fantasy X offers a nice twist on the typical turn based combat of the genre. While it is turn-based, certain actions will take a certain amount of time, and it will affect the turn order of yourself and your enemies. It makes for a slightly more strategic approach to battle, without the potentially overwhelming action that is the typical Active Time Battle system.

There are other RPGs that have a similar twist on their battle mechanics, Final Fantasy X also brings some interesting mechanics in the way your characters level up. By using the Sphere Grid system, you can choose, to an extent, what kind of skills and stat increases each party member will get. While it's not completely open at first, you'll be able to decide what branches to take in each character's grid, which will help determine their growth. Of course, you can always go back and take another route as well, given you have the spheres and points to do so, so you can't get stuck with a 'shoddy' character. Near the end of the game, you can even have party members enter other character's grids, allowing some character flexibility, though each character's stat differences still allow them to be useful even when someone else knows their skills.

Finally, Final Fantasy X was recently re-released with its direct sequel, Final Fantasy X-2, as an HD collection for the PlayStation 3 and Vita. Even though the original PS2 copy is pretty easy to find in the wild, this version makes this Final Fantasy even more accessible to those that may not have the older system readily available.